Honestly, I can’t wholeheartedly recommend Lakshmi. In places, it’s repulsive and yet, it demands to be seen.

It is both a terrifying and inspiring story and Kukunoor tells it with almost a schizophrenic cinematic narrative that is grim, claustrophobic and gory one moment, and the next breezy, airy and luminous.

It is difficult to watch Lakshmi. It gives you a headache inside the theatre. It gives you nightmares when you go home. The worst part of Lakshmi is that it isn’t just a story. When you come out of it, you will forever be plagued by the knowledge that evil does exist in this world and we, as a society, are only enabling it.

…not a film for the weak hearted and the squeamish.
Lakshmi is a powerfully told inspirational tale that doesn’t brush the brutal reality of sexual exploitation under the rug. It pulls out uncomfortable home truths. There are portions of the narrative in the brothel involving Kukunoor and Shefali as the pimp and the madame that get unbearably violent and gruesome. Both come up with superlative fearless performances.

Lakshmi is in one word a heroic film. Not only for the story that Kukunoor has decided to tell but also the crude manner in which he tells us that makes a far reaching impact. This is a film that will penetrate into your psyche and horrify you to wits for being a vehemently powerful and intense story. More of such heart in your mouth stories are needed to bring about changes.

…a heart-rending tale that ought to be told. It’s a film that’s sure to jolt you, take you out of your comfort zone, set you thinking about the plight of millions of kids pushed into the flesh trade. Sure, a number of images and instances in the movie are disturbing and distressing, but certain issues need to be addressed. Additionally, the message Nagesh Kukunoor conveys in LAKSHMI reverberates much after the screening has concluded.

When it comes down to stories based on real life with soulful narration, there is very little to say other than, “go watch it, because you need to.”

Of course, Lakshmi is a very difficult and intense watch – for women, for sure, and hopefully for men too.

With Lakshmi, Kukunoor goes the whole hog, opting for a raw, jagged style of storytelling, losing some of the finesse you associated with some of his earlier films like Teen Deewarein and Iqbal. It’s a tightrope walk for a director, depicting harsh realities as authentically as possible, but hoping they don’t seem obtuse. He slips at places, but largely pulls off the job, helped along by a motivated ensemble of actors and by infusing the film with honest, hard-hitting moments.

Lakshmi is not without its flaws; the sort of topical theme Madhur Bhandarkar would have chosen at his prime. It makes you cringe for important reasons though, and must be watched for its relentless pursuit of relevance and authenticity.